Courting The King

With billboards popping up around the country to court LeBron James, we asked 30 artists with ties to each NBA city to imagine every team's pitch to LeBron in free agency. (Click on each team's name for its full offseason guide.)

After finishing with the worst record in the Eastern Conference, the Hawks may not look like they have much to offer LeBron. Not so fast. Atlanta has a reigning MVP: Quavo, a member of the rap trio Migos, took home that honor at the 2018 All-Star Celebrity Game. Art by Britt Davis

LeBron has always positioned himself as a student of the game, and no franchise has more history than the 17-time champions from Boston. Could James' appreciation of the Celtics' past lead him to bolster their bright future? Art by Michael Weinstein

Where Brooklyn at? Still near the bottom of the East. But that could change in a New York minute if LeBron takes his talents to Flatbush. The Nets tried to woo LeBron in 2010, when Jay Z was part of the pitch. Maybe evoking a different rapper could change the outcome this time.
Art by Timothy McAuliffe

While LeBron will never match Michael Jordan's perfect NBA Finals record, perhaps he can become the only player other than MJ to lead Chicago to a title. Would that be enough to make him the GOAT? There's only one way to find out. Art by Malachi Wright

Why search for a new kingdom when you already reign supreme at home? The Cavs have roster problems, yes, but they've reloaded before. If he spent the rest of his career in Cleveland, the city couldn't possibly build a statue big enough to thank him.
Art by Oliver Barrett

Where better for a lifelong Cowboys fan to play? Not only could LeBron go to every home game -- skipping Mavs games on Sundays as part of a "maintenance plan" -- but maybe he could suit up like Tony Romo once did for the Mavs. Dallas does have an opening at tight end.
Art by John Mata

The Nuggets have the league's best passing center in Nikola Jokic. Imagine how beautiful their offense would look after adding the league's best passing forward. If Nuggets fans want, maybe LeBron could entice his buddy Melo to make a Denver homecoming, too.
Art by Shaw Nielsen

In the late 2000s, LeBron almost single-handedly ended Detroit's run of success in the East, en route to his takeover of the conference. So maybe he owes it to the Pistons to restore them to power.
Art by Andrew Janik

Remember when the Warriors added KD and everyone said it'd be easy for Golden State to win everything? Well, they weren't the 1-seed this season and lost five games in the postseason, so it's clear they could use another future Hall of Famer in their lineup. Art by Joe Wallace

Both LeBron and the Rockets came up short against the Warriors this postseason. Perhaps the two sides can explore forming a new superteam. We hear Houston already has a thing for fitted suits. Art by Carra Sykes

"LeBron to the Lakers" has been a rumor since, oh, approximately 2002, before he was even in the league. It's finally time to turn those Hollywood dreams into reality. Kobe fans might even stop criticizing LeBron's every move. ... Unless he fails to win them five more rings.
Art by Jack Perkins

Back in 2003, the Grizzlies were one pick away from landing LeBron in the lottery. While it's safe to say things worked out well for LeBron by starting his career in Cleveland, who's to say his legend wouldn't grow if he finished it off in Grind City?
Art by Tim Cook

LeBron promised "not five, not six, not seven" championships in Miami. Well, after winning just two titles in South Beach, he has some unfinished business. D-Wade is already back home in Miami and would surely welcome his buddy back with open arms and a glass of wine.
Art by Chelique Ross

Pairing Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James, two of the league's most dynamic players, would make Milwaukee the new Beast of the East, and turn "Bucks in 6" from a punchline to a rallying cry.
Art by Joe Till

In his 15th season in the NBA, LeBron played all 82 games for the first time in his career and was the only player in the league to top 3,000 minutes. Why slow down now? Tom Thibodeau would surely salivate at the possibility of playing a 33-year-old LeBron 48 minutes a night.
Art by Ross Bruggink

New Orleans would certainly be ready to "let the good times roll" if Bron joined The Brow, turning Mardi Gras from a month-long celebration into one that would extend well into spring, and possibly come with jewelry.
Art by Robb Harskamp

Some Knicks fans feel like it'd take an act of God to bring the team its first title since 1973. While LeBron can't heal Kristaps Porzingis' injured knee, signing with New York would go a long way toward breathing life into a Knicks franchise he spurned in 2010.
Art by Steeve Verna

Kevin Durant couldn't bring a title to Oklahoma City. Could LeBron? A dynamic duo of Russ and Bron would be frightening for opponents. Not to mention a daily nightmare for referees on block-charge calls.
Art by Scott Hill

There's only one Eastern Conference team that LeBron James has never beaten in the playoffs nor joined as a player: the Orlando Magic. And since Orlando seems so far from getting back to the postseason, beating 'em is off the table, so joining 'em is the only logical choice.
Art by Addie Ritter

Back in 2014, James traded an aging Heat squad for a younger Cavs team to extend his title-winning window. In 2018, James could join 21-year-old Ben Simmons and 24-year-old Joel Embiid in Philly. Process that, LeBron.
Art by Matthew Shipley

Mini-LeBron didn't want to be in Phoenix, but maybe the full-size version does? After all, the Suns just landed the No. 1 pick in the draft and good friend James Jones has a role in the front office.
Art by Michael Walchalk

Instead of keeping Portland weird, LeBron could keep Portland winning by joining Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. The Blazers haven't been to the Finals since 1992 and haven't won it all since 1977, so maybe adding LeBron is the key to ending those droughts.
Art by Ronald Cox

On Oct. 29, 2003, LeBron James made one of the most anticipated NBA debuts ever, and it happened ... in Sacramento. What better way to bring his career full circle than to go back to where it all began?
Art by Aaron Dana

There's no telling when we'll hear from Kawhi Leonard again, but LeBron has always spoken highly of Gregg Popovich. Why wait until the 2020 Olympics to play for the current Spurs and Team USA coach?
Art by Himanshu Sharma

After ending Toronto's season in emphatic fashion each of the past three years, the least LeBron could do to make it up to the team -- and an entire nation -- is sign on to help bring the Larry O'Brien Trophy north of the border.
Art by Glenn Harvey

Donovan Mitchell might not take home the Rookie of the Year hardware, but helping lure LeBron to Utah would be one heck of a consolation prize. Plus, signing with the Jazz would result in a huge upgrade in the jersey department over the Cavs' current duds.
Art by Nick Jarvis

Michael Jordan might've been 6-0 in the Finals, but he was 0-2 in getting the Wizards to the playoffs. With Alex Ovechkin leading the Caps to a Stanley Cup victory, it seems D.C. has broken its postseason curse. What better time for Mr. James to go to Washington?
Robert Generette